


Dandelion Crown

by nightssilhouette



Category: Red Riding Hood (2011)
Genre: A short cute lesbian version of Little Red Riding Hood Yeah that's basically it., Also unintentually naming the guy Peter, F/F, Red Riding Hood lesbian version, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-05-03 01:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5271818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightssilhouette/pseuds/nightssilhouette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I've been wanting this for a long time, bc Little Red Riding Hood is my favorite fairy tale character. This should be a short read, if your into lesbians and you've read everything else this is for you. It also involves werewolves, and a lamb.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1: Daisies

If you asked me what my favorite color is I’d say red. If you asked me what my favorite animal was I’d tell you wolves. If you asked what my name was I’d answer, Red. Then if you asked me if I was serious, I’d say, go fuck yourself. 

I said the last bit a lot.

I don’t hate my name, my real one that is. In fact it’s Clementine Evergreen. It’s not as bad as some other names I’ve heard of, Dickie, for instance, is not something I’d like to hear on a daily basis. It’s just that I like Red better. 

It was given to me by a girl, one who, in all due respect, was a bitch. My vocabulary wasn’t so extensive at ten winters old, so I simply called her unpleasant.  
It was a week before the blood moon. I remember because that was also a week before my father died. 

I had been picking apples, being the youngest and nimblest of my two brothers this was often a job left to me, and of course belle wouldn’t be caught dead in a tree, which is rather ironic, but this is a painful subject I’ll discuss later. Anyhow, I was picking apples when movement on the ground caught my eye. My cloak was walking away. At first I just stared, my beautiful, white cloak grandma had made for me, was floating away. Then I wanted to thump myself on the head, because of course it wasn’t walking away, someone was stealing it. “Hey!” I called out, wobbling a bit on the branch, “Thief, you- you come back here.” 

“By who’s orders?” My cloak had stopped moving, but the person had the hood up and their back turned so I couldn’t see who it was. 

“By mine of course.”

“And who are you?”

The question caught me by surprise. I’d never thought to ask myself this. Who was I? The question required more thought than I was willing to offer at the moment. “What does it matter? It’s my cloak,” I said, a touch bit aggravated. 

The person turned, and I fell out of the tree.

I lay on my back, it felt like both my brothers were sitting on my chest. I heard footstep, and I suppose she was staring down at me. It was a she, I knew that now, if angles had genders that is. 

“Are you hurt very much?”

I shook my head no.

“Yes you are.”

Annoyance enticed my eyes to open, I stared up at her face. It was heart shaped, small and perfect. Gold curls framed it, and she was looking down at me with big, blue eyes. It was the eyes, I decided, that were unnatural. Father had told me eyes were the windows to the soul, but hers were like steel doors with double locks, deep, tantalizing, dangerous.

Then what she said sunk in. “No, I’m not.” I wasn’t sure what we we’re talking about, but that was my answer to everything in those days. 

“Of course you are, you don’t have a name.”

It suddenly occurred to me that she hadn’t asked who I was, but what my name was. Realizing what a stupid douchebag you are doesn’t help when your lungs are on fire. 

“I’ll call you red.”

“Red?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I like the color.” 

“Charmed,” I sat up; the pain wasn’t so eminent now. “But I don’t need some kid giving me names.”

“I’m not a kid,” she pouted, it was adorable, “I’m seven and a half.” 

“Well that makes me three and a half years older than you, so that means I’m the boss.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yes I am.”

She stared at me, with those eyes, “No you’re not. The king is.” 

“Well duh, but he’s not here.” 

She pushed at a clump of grass with her slippered shoe, “I’m going to be Queen one day.”

I snorted, “The king's like a bazillion years old.”

“I’m not going to marry him! I’m going to have a kingdom of my own.” 

“Sure.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“No.”

“You’re just like everyone else here.”

For some reason that rubbed me the wrong way, I pushed her. It wasn’t hard, but she still fell back. She sat on the ground, staring at me; it looked like she was going to cry. I immediately felt bad, until she lunged for a stick and wacked my leg with it. I hopped out of the way, grimacing and screaming at her, “What do you think you’re doing!? I-“ a hand was pressed against my mouth. I thought about biting her, but she might have had rabies. I pried her hand away, “You-“

“Shhh.” She clamped her hand down on my mouth again. I being the mature older person, decided to humor her. Also she smelled like strawberries. “Look,” she pointed towards a few bushes. When I didn’t say anything she turned to look at me. 

She caught me staring. 

I blushed and moved away from her, she let me. There was a little bleating sound, it came from the bushes. She picked up the stick, which I realized was a shepherd’s crook, and went towards it. She soon emerged with a small white kid. He bleated pathetically. She came towards me, grabbed him by the waist and dumped him in my lap. I stared at the little creature; he was barely a week old. Then something occurred to me, “Your Howard Peep’s daughter.”

She nodded, gently stroking the sheep’s head. “My names Chalice, but Daddy calls me bow, see,” she pushed back the hood; her hair was tied up in a big, pink bow. 

“Little Bo-Peep?” 

She nodded again. 

“My name's-“

“I already know your name silly.”

“But Red's not my name.”

“But I like it on you.”

I looked at her strangely. “Fine,” I said, “Whatever.”

“What does whatever mean?”

I shrugged, “I dunno.”

“Oh.” 

She gently ruffled the sheep’s hair- wool, fur? Whatever covers sheeps. She picked up her crook and got up. I was surprised to see I didn’t want her to go. “Wait,” the word came unbidden from my lips. She looked back at me, head crocked to the side. “I- I,” I what? “Do you want an apple?” I didn’t wait for her to answer; instead I reached down and picked up a red sphere. I threw it towards her. She dropped her crook and caught it. The little lamb bleated, butting her leg. She took a small bite and smiled.


	2. 2

When I got home later that night mother immediately began bombarding me with questions: “Where were you? What happened to your leg? And did you even get the apples?” 

None of them enticed me to answer, except the second one, which did cause me to look down at my leg. There was an impressive purple bruise just below my skirt, I though it looked tough. “I was out,” I said, biting into a piece of bread that was dinner. 

“Where? Why where you ‘out’ so long?”  
Father laughed, hugging her from behind. “She was out love, that’s all. Let her have some fun.”

“Fun won’t fill the apple basket. Fun doesn’t-“

“Okay, okay,” he squeezed her before moving to rustle my hair. 

“Clementine was out with her girlfriend,” Charles pulled my hair before sitting down across the table from me. 

I slammed my fist down on the table, “I was not!” 

“You weren’t out with your girlfriend or she isn’t your girlfriend?” Will spoke up from his chair, he rarely said even a few words; I was apparently the only exception. He always spoke up to jest. I opened my mouth, but didn’t know how to answer. He did that often, being four years my elder, four years smarter, he often said things that didn’t mean much sense, but it was a trap; I was sure of it. Belle just smiled quietly from where she sat sewing.

“Boys, don’t bother your sister,” Father turned to me, a sly grin played at the corner of his lips, “They’re just jealous that you’ve got a better way with the ladies.”

“Papa!” 

The boys roared with laughter, I felt like dying. 

Mother swatted father away, “Oh hush, really, it’s like living with a pack of small boys. Thankfully I have daughters.” She sat next to me and pulled out a scarf she was knitting, 

“Who is she Clementine?”

I waited until the boys were done; shooting death looks in their direction I spoke, “Bo-Peep.”

“Bo-Peep?” she paused in her knitting, “Howard’s girl?” 

I nodded. 

She murmured something like, “Bless her dear heart,” but I’m not sure. 

Father leaned back in his rocker, “She’s a shepherdess ain’t she?” 

I wasn’t sure where he was going with this, but I nodded.

“’An how old is she? Five, six?”

“Seven n’ a half.”

He nodded solemnly, “Ay, it's an honest living, but at least I know ye’ll be provided for.”

Belle giggled.

“Bren,” mother said, face red. 

He was making fun of me, but I wasn’t sure how. 

Father held his hands up in defeat, “Just saying.”

“Well don’t,” she continued stitching furiously, “It’s hard enough with the boys growen up n’ all, ‘n my poor Belle already has suitors… but must you give my baby away too?”

This confused me, was she having another baby? 

Father got up and rested his bearded chin on mother’s head, he had brown hair like mine, but I had mother’s eyes; hers of which were rather wet at the moment. “Don’t worry dear, there’s still a bit ways to go.”


	3. 3

The week pasted in a colorful blur, only certain things stuck out in my mind. Like the first time I showed Bo how to catch a fish. 

At first I didn’t know how to see her again. Should I go to her house? What if she was busy? I finally decided to wait under the apple tree, it wasn’t long before I heard bleating and saw her crook poking up over the thick underbrush. We had gone to the creek that day, I lead the way with high hopes that I could show off my fish skills and also bring home enough for dinner like Will and Charles did. It didn’t go as planned; however. The fish were more slippery than I had intended them to be, and that was just the beginning. Catching them was the hard part. I stood perched on a rock, staring at the water, while she sat on the river bank petting her sheep. I waited as father taught me, silent, unmoving. Until, finally something flashed. I snatched for it, somehow I lost my balance and plummeted head first into the freezing water. I got up, humiliated. I shot a glance at Bo, daring her to laugh. Her small red lips were pressed together, her eyes danced. Finally she couldn’t stand it and laughed, it sounded like bells and rain. I laughed too. 

The second thing I can remember is the fourth day. I had warmed up to her by then, we were sitting in silence beneath the apple tree. A soft breeze blew through the leaves kissing my face. I watched as the first red leaves of fall drifted to the ground. I turned to her; she was looking at me with a mischievous grin. Soon we were both running around and shouting, trying to catch the leaves. We would have had more luck catching a shooting star, but we weren’t discouraged. Every time a leaf fell one of us would reach for it, finger tips grazing the tricky things right in front of us, but ever out of our reach. 

When we finally collapsed on the ground beneath the apple tree, we were exhausted, but happy. She lay on her stomach, picking flowers that were within reach. I pet Curious, which was the name of the sheep, and watched as she gently peeled open the stems on the daisies. I gently shoved Curious off and we spent the next half hour collecting the daisies and dandelions that Sharp Shire had in abundance. 

We sat quietly, twisting the stems, bending them, molding them into our image of perfection. When I was done I looked at it, tweaking a few out of place petals, I was satisfied. Bo was sitting cross-legged, still making hers, I crawled behind her and put my crown on her head, it looped around her forehead and hugged the pink bow. She looked up startled; her fingers glazed the dandelions on her head. I was starting to feel uncomfortable, normally I don’t care what other people think, but with Bo it was different. I found myself hoping she would like it. Unsure what to do I stood, and walked to the apple tree, leaning my head against its ruff bark. 

I felt a tug on my hair and turned around. Bo gently placed her daisy crown on my head. We looked at each other, taking each other in. The way the sun was setting, filtered through the leaves and made fairy dust. I reached out, taking count on how my hand was shaking, and pushed back a lose strand of hair, “Now you can be my Queen.”

Her warm, blue eyes sparkled. Then she stood on tiptoes and kissed my cheek. 

I ran.


	4. 4

I didn’t see her the fifth day, I hadn’t even gone to the apple tree. Every time I opened the door or thought about going, I saw her. Saw her eyes and the way she smiled… I wanted to see her so badly, but that’s what scared me. I’d never wanted something so badly. I thought about asking Belle about it, the conversation went something like this:

Me: “Belle?”

Belle: “Yes, darling?”

Me: “Don’t call me darling.”

Belle: “Whatever you wish darling.”

Me: “If you call me that again I’ll-“

Belle: “You’ll what?”

Me: “I’ll kick you.”

But we both knew that’d never happen. 

I went in search of my brothers, after walking around the house aimlessly I finally found Will in the town barn. He was forking clean hay into the stalls, he sometimes did this to get a little extra coin for the family. “Where’s Charles?”

Will wiped the sweat from his brow, “Probably off with Flora some a’ where’s.”

“Have you ever wanted something so bad it made your chest hurt?” It kinda blurted itself out.

He stared at me a while, “I suppose, like the time Ma’ went to visit aunt Ruth?”

I thought about it then shook my head, “No, not Ma’ or Pa’ or Charles or Belle.”

“Like a girl?” he asked suspiciously. 

“It could be a boy,” I stated innocently. 

He snorted, “What happened?”

I picked at the peeling paint on the stall. The whole story came jumbling out. When I was done, Will regarded me silently. “The shepherdess girl ye say?”

I nodded, confused.

He whistled, “she’ll make a fine lass once she's grown,” then went back to forking hay. 

I stomped away, frustrated and more confused than I was previously. When I finally made it back to our small house Ma’ asked me to help with the dishes and I didn’t even complain about it. Ma’ looked at me surprised, then continued sweeping the floor. After I was done with that she asked me to dry them. When I reached for the rag she swatted my had away with a dish towel. 

I mumbled something like, “Ow,” but there wasn’t much heart in it. 

“What’s wrong Clem?”

“Nothing.”

“Dun’t you go lying to ye’r mother now, you hear?”

“It’s nothing Ma’.”

“You have never in all your years did a speck of work without making me’ ears bleed with all ye'r yapping.”

I laughed softly, my finger trailing the edge of a bowl. I slowly told her bits and pieces, about how I fell in the river until how little help my siblings were. When I was done I was surprised to see her crying, “Ma’, Ma’ what’s wrong?” 

She slowly backed up and sat in father’s rocker, “My baby, my sweet, sweet, babe,” she cried into her apron. I was never good with feelings, and I hated it when people cried, but I knelt by her side and awkwardly patted her leg. 

“Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s just, you’re growing up, and, and…” her words trailed off. We sat in silence, only occasionally interrupted by the creaking of the rocker or noise from outside. Finally she wiped her eyes and looked me in the eyes, “If she doesn’t scare the hell out of you a little, she isn’t the one.” Mother got up and went to finish tiding up the kitchen. I sat quietly by the rocker, unsure of what to do, unsure of what she was trying to tell me, but it sounded important. I just hopped one day I’d figure it out. 

 

The next day Bo was waiting for me. I felt a smile tug at my lips, I sat down next to her. Curious butted me with his little head. 

“You didn’t come yesterday.”

I scooped him up and put him in my lap, “I know.”

Silence.

“Why?”

“I was worried.”

“About?”

“You.” 

“Why me?” 

“Because I love y-“ the words tumbled out of my mouth, unheeded and unwanted. My face felt hot, and I tried looking anywhere, but at the girl besides me. Her hand was between us, so close. I put my hand next to hers, not close enough to touch, just there. We were quiet until Curious stumbled out of my arms and fumbled his way towards his mistress. 

“I kept it.”

I picked at a dandelion, remembering my own crown; which with the help of mother was left drying upside down on a hook by my bed. “So it will last forever,” she had said. 

I hopped it lasted a lot longer. Her pinky brushed mine. “I did too.” 

I looped my pinky with hers.


	5. 5

The last thing I can remember about that week, didn’t even have to do with Bo. I was sitting at the table with Belle, eating bread and a rare speck of jam. Mother was in her usual place, a chair by father’s rocker. The door burst open and father quickly came into the house. Mother looked up startled, “Bren?”

Father glanced at her, “Where’s the boys?”

“Will is in the barn, why Bren, what’s wrong?”

“You know that Frost girl? The pretty lill’ one with brown eyes?” he opened a drawer and pulled out a rope.

“Yes, Clara’s daughter why?”

“She just came back- damn, where is my cloak-, and she said her brother fell through the ice.”

“No!” Mother sat up, tears welling in her eyes. 

“Yes, n’ the men are gonna look for him.”

My mother looked forlorn, “But, tonight’s Blood Moon's Eve.” 

Blood Moon’s Eve, I knew about that, although I had never celebrated it before. It only happened once every decade, the town would gather together and celebrate the holy Blood Moon. I hadn’t noticed as the town pulled every colorful things they could together and decorated the town square with it. Mother was really looking forward to it, Father had proposed to her the last Blood Moon’s Eve. 

“The mayor is going to post-pone it, but he says we will still be able to celebrate tomarrow- I dunno.” He threw his hands up and turned to me, “Clem, I know it’s precious to you, but I can’t find my cloak.” I winced, asking me to tear off my arm would have been easier. I slowly withdrew the clasp form around my neck. My beautiful white cloak slipped from my shoulders. I meekly walked over and put it in his hands; I stood back wrapping my arms around myself. It felt as if I were naked. He hugged me tightly, “Keep the fire roaring, we’ll be back before night tomorrow.” 

Then he was gone.


	6. 6

We sat by the door all day, Belle sewing, me carving something for Bo, and Ma’ rocking back and forth so fast she could barely see the sewing needle. I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I moved to the door then remembered I didn’t have my cloak. I said so to mother, she just stared blankly. I went to the kitchen drawer and took out a dish towel. I tied it around my head. It knotted at my chin, if I pretended hard enough and held my breath it could have been my cloak. Who was I kidding? I looked stupid. I angrily opened the door, I stared in wonder at the moon, it was blood red. I shivered and went to find my father. 

The town square was packed; my first thought was how I had never seen it with so many people before. My second thought was that I didn’t even know Sharp shire had that many people. I pushed my way through the crowd, someone tried to grab me saying, “this isn’t a place for little girls.” I kicked his leg. 

When I finally pushed through I felt sick. There were bodies on the ground, some small, some recognizable, others mauled meat. Then there was a cart, and men took out even more bodies. My father was one of them. Will and Charles were carrying his body, putting him on the ground with the rest. I ran to them, throwing myself at my father. Will pulled me away, I was making a scene, but I didn’t care. I bit his hand and wrenched free, I dropped to my father’s side. His hair was a mess, spiked and dried with blood. His right arm was missing and a big chunk from his chest, it looked like something had bit his heart and soul out. I reached out, not touching him, just letting my hand drift over my father. I don’t know how long I stayed like that, seeing, yet not believing. Finally someone draped a blanket over my shoulder, it smelled like strawberries. I stood as they took my father’s body away, they placed him in a line with the other men and occasional boy. A huge fire, the biggest fire I had ever seen, was blazing in the square. I sat down on one of the benches, I opened my arms and let Bo sit next to me. I wrapped the blanket around us both, she was shivering. She snuggled into me, and if I closed my eyes, and nose, and ears, and brain possibly, I could imagine we were under the apple tree, not in front of the dead. The mayor of the town stood before us all, I vaguely realized the whole town was here, I wondered where the rest of my family was. 

“Something terrible has happened,” the mayor stated the obvious, “Something attacked our men, we lost thirty in total-“

“Liar!” a rugged old man scrambled into the middle of the square, “You know what it was, it was a wolf! I tell you, it was a beast! Huge, fangs, black, blood-“ Two of the town guards grabbed him, and tried to drag him away, but we all heard. 

Someone called from the other side of the fire, “What did he say?”

“He said wolf-“

“No beast.”

The mayor held up his hand a silenced them, “We don’t know that, it could be- anything...all we know is that it’s not safe anymore. And these men, we have to take care of them.” His voice trailed off. He nodded and several men, my brothers among them, started carrying bodies toward the fire. I felt sick; there was a sniffling sound at my side. I turned and saw tears dripping down Bo’s cheeks, my stomach twisted. 

“Did, did your father-“

She shook her head, her bow tickled my nose. “Red… the sheep.” She couldn’t continue. 

I pulled away from her until I could see her face, “What?”

“The sheep, their all dead.”

“Curious?”

“He’s okay, I was sleeping with him, but the others…”

At first I was mad, my father was massacred and here she was crying over sheep, then I thought of something that made me tremble, “But you’re a shepherd, how will-“

She nodded, confirming my fear. I turned away so she wouldn’t see me crying. She wrapped her small arms around me, sobbing into my chest. I stared at the fire, watched as a man picked up my father, my handsome, funny, father. He was invincible, he was everything, and now he was dead. 

He was still wearing my cloak. 

I held Bo, held her until I thought she couldn’t breathe anymore. My heart felt like it was breaking into a bazillion little pieces, then being stomped on and thrown with papa into the fire. I was shaking, whether or not because of the cold, I couldn’t tell. Bo grabbed fistfuls of my shirt, her sobs weren’t alone. It felt like the whole world was crying, hurting, dying. I saw my mother walking towards us, I buried my nose in Bo’s hair, I tried to soak in her warmth, any warmth, I had never felt so cold.


	7. 7

She left the next morning, I didn’t even get to say good bye. One moment I was holding her, the next I was in bed. I woke with a start, my head hurt. I shuffled around the house, looking for Ma’ wondering why breakfast wasn’t ready. I finally found her in father’s rocker, she was crying. “Ma’ what’s wrong?” there was a creaking sound and I realized that Will, Charles, and Belle were all there too. I looked around confused, “What’s wrong?” 

“What’s wrong? Father’s dead. What do you think?” Charles snarled at me. If he said sheep were pink I would have had a little more understanding. 

“Ma’? Belle?” 

They stared back at me, Will didn’t even look up. The next thing I knew I was pulling my hood down, but of course I wasn’t wearing my cloak. I raced to my parent’s bed room and looked for my Father’s. It wasn’t in the closet, but in a chest at the foot of the bed I found one, his wedding cloak. It was red, blood red. I hesitated, then took it out and threw it around my shoulders, it was far too long for me, but I didn’t care. I walked past my family, daring my mother to say something. She burst into tears.

Then I was running, running through the forest to the apple tree. “Bo! Bo, I’m here!” the forest was silent. “Bo! I need to tell you something, I’m so confused.” There was no answer. I dropped to my knees, crushing the dandelions, “Bo?”


	8. 8

“Red? Hello, earth to red.” 

I jolted back, Sarah was holding a dish towel, swinging it in front of my face. “What?” 

She gave an exaggerated eye roll, “I asked if you were excited about the blood moon.” 

I sighed and continued scrubbing the dish I was holding, which let’s be honest here, was pointless considering it was made of wood. Lots of things were pointless in Sharp shire. “I guess…”

“You guess? You guess?” Holly threw up her hands, soap suds flying everywhere, “It’s the blood moon, the next time we celebrate this we’ll be married with children!” 

“What a nightmare,” Sarah laughed. 

“What about you Nahanna?” Holly asked.

The dark haired girl only smiled. 

“See, someone knows how to have fun.” 

I laughed; this was extremely ironic considering Nahanna was the quietest, shyest girl in all of Sharp shire. Holly just rolled her eyes, and began scrubbing wooden bowls again. I looked at my friends from the corner of my eye, first there was Holly. She was a year older then us, and wanted everyone to know it. She had filled out early, which made her the curviest girl in Sharp shire, with light blond hair, and green eyes, she was every boy’s desire. Which suited her just fine. Next was Sarah, she was the mother of the group, always reminding us why we should do this, and ‘don’t do that do you feel like dying today?’ Then there was Nahanna. She was quiet and reserved, with long black hair always covering one side of her face. We made an interesting team. 

Holly spoke up, “We’ll I know what I’m looking forward to.”

“Don’t remind me,” Sarah exaggerated a sigh. 

The blood moon wasn’t just a celebration; it was the celebration of every young adult in Sharp shire and the surrounding villages. All the boys and girls would come together in the square to break every single rule their mothers had taught them. 

Holly shot us mischievous grin, “You know what they say, if you can’t get laid during a blood moon-“

“Lucky you?” I answered hopefully.

Holly squinted her eyes at me.

“I’m sorry is something wrong with your eye?” 

She glared and probably would have said something else, but Sarah shushed her. Holly turned on her, but all malicious thought vanished. She not so subtly picked up her bosom, trying to get it to use its full power. I soon saw the reason why, her counterpart was walking into the room. I don’t mean they were together or anything, as much as Holly would have you believe, but let me put it simply. If Holly was a hen, Peter was a rooster. 

“Red?” 

“Hi, Peter,” I didn’t turn around. A pair of arms engulfed my middle, I nearly screamed, but bit my tongue. I did; however, manage to drop the plate I was holding. The whole time I was washing wooden bowls, and I had to drop a glass plate. Albeit the arms retreated, I would have smashed every glass object in Sharp shire to just get away. 

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I smiled, “Of course, just a little jumpy.”

“She’s excited, that’s all,” Holly laughed looping an arm around my shoulder; she leaned slightly forward giving both Peter and I an eye full. “With the blood moon and everything.” 

He politely avoided staring at her bosom. I; however, found it all quite hilarious. I smiled and he thought I meant it for him. The smile died. 

“Red, could we take a walk? Please?”

I could practically hear the other girl’s sighing, except for Holly she really did. 

“Of course,” I washed the soap suds off of my hands and traded in my apron for my cloak. My fiancé offered his hand, I took it. 

We walked through the town, I suppose he was leading me somewhere, but I wasn’t aware of it. I occasionally stopped to greet someone or other, Peter finally had to let go when a group of giggling children dog-piled me. I laughed, hugging all of them. When we finally made our way out of the town towards the fields he said, “How many do you want?”

My mind was blank, “How many, what?”

“Children,” he laughed. 

“Oh, I hate children.”

“I beg to differ.” 

I shrugged. 

“I have something for you.”

I crooked my head.

He laughed and brushed back a strand of hair, I tried not to cringe. Motioning for us to sit down, he pulled out a little box. My heart sank down into my stomach. “I know I’m not the ideal husband-“

I snorted. That was further from the truth than, well- something far away from the truth? Anyhow, he was it. Every girl with half a brain wanted him. Peter was a black smith, even though he was an orphan, (he had once confided in me the fact that his father died the same night mine did), he came from a rich family. Not only that, but he looked good. Classic prince charming, black wavy hair, soft green eyes, he could have any girl in all of the six kingdoms probably, but for some reason he choose boring me. 

“No really!” he laughed playfully, “I have a lot of problems.”

He waited for me to laugh, I did.

“But, Red.” He smiled at me, eyes dreamy or something of that sort, “I don’t know who I am-“

Oh, sweet maker. 

“I don’t know who I’m going to be. I fall down, I make mistakes…” he took my hands, “But when I look into your eyes, you make me realize what kind of man I want to be.”

I tried to feel something, I really did. “Peter-“

He leaned in and kissed me. 

I gently pushed him away, he was usually really good at giving me space, but today was different. He moved closer to me, bringing his hands to my face. I really wanted to push him away, but something told me not too. That this was good, this was what I had to look forward to. He licked my bottom lip, I’d never kissed someone like that before, with- tongue. I almost opened, almost let him in, then he growled. I had the sudden urge to vomit. 

A stick broke somewhere in the forest, it wasn’t loud but it was enough to make him pause. I quickly got up, wiping my mouth. “I’m sorry, but I promised Belle I’d be there when the guest arrived.” 

He nodded. Standing, he picked up the little box. I opened it, inside was a beautiful silver necklace. It had a wolf prancing up the side of the chain. He moved my hair out of the way, which I suppose meant I was to put it on myself. After the necklace was clasped around my neck he was kissed my shoulder. I jerked forward slightly letting my hair drop; it fell back in its normal position, tied back. I thanked him, and he tried to kiss me again. I obliged, but pulled away before he did something disgusting, like growl.


	9. 9

“Belle, Belle wait!” I called after my sister. 

She turned, and waved with her free hand, in her other was a basket, “Red? I thought you said you didn’t-“

“Shhhh,” I put my finger to her lips, “Change of plans.”

“Okay,” she murmured. 

I took the basket from her, “Where do we start?” 

She looked at me oddly, but eventually shrugged. “We need to take these to the square, after that I need you to water the guests.” I nodded. After leaving the basket, it contained bread, in the square I went to the water stations behind the field. It was quite simple really, if you couldn’t pay for lodging, which most of the young adults couldn’t, you worked in Sharp shire’s fields. Rolling the hay into bails was not something I enjoyed doing, giving water to the workers was more manageable. Sarah, Holly, a few other girls, and two boys were already there. We each took a water jug and went towards the fields. 

“Wait for me!” Holly said.

When she finally caught up too Sarah and I, we couldn’t help but stare. “Holly? What’s wrong with your breasts?” 

“What do you mean?”

“It’s-“ Sarah picked her words carefully, “Bigger”

“Huge!” we said at the same time, my word overlapping hers. 

Holly moved around a bit, “Well, that’s good isn’t it?”

“What’d you do? Shove pillows under them?” 

“Keep your voice down Red, and no I’m not wearing pillows.” She gave me an indignant look, “Chris, told Rose, who told Diana, who told me that Jenna found out a way to make your breasts bigger.”

I stared at her in horror. 

“It’s quite easy really all you need is a-“

“Water?” The voice was soft, but it was enough to interrupt Holly’s interesting train of conversation. 

I turned, my easy smile plastered on my face, “Of course, I’m-“

The second time that day something shattered. 

The girl bent to pick up the pieces, there were six of them. She gathered them together and placed them in my hand. I stared at her, she wore a light blue, almost white lose shirt, that was held in place by a dark brown girdle. She wore a pair of black men’s slacks, that were loose enough to hide her form, but tight enough to hint at it. They were swallowed a bit above her ankles by a pair of black boots. A big, shiny belt buckle topped everything off. When I was done looking at her attire, I dared look at her face. It was still heart shaped, simply lacking in baby fat. Her lips were a soft red color, and her nose turned up a little. Finally I saw her eyes. 

I jumped on her. We both fell to the ground, but I didn’t care. Let them look, what did it matter? Little Bo-Peep was back. Soon there was insistent nudging at my side. I sat up, straddling my friend, and held my arms out to Curious. He ran into my arms, he still bleated like a sissy. I was so happy that I hadn’t realized we were trampling Bo. She stared up at me, her hair was a mess. I was also surprised to see she was a nice shade of red. She pushed us off, and I feel in a heaping mess with Curious trying to lick every inch of my face. 

“So, who’s she?” Sarah looked down at me. 

I pushed Curious away, which was quite difficult considering he had grown, and finally stood up. “That’s Curious,” I pointed towards the sheep. “And this is Little Bo-Peep.”   
Holly looked her up and down, “Not so little anymore.” 

I turned to her, “I agree, you look, different- but in a good way.” 

She smiled, “You look as beautiful as the day I left.” 

I laughed uneasily, cursing my complexion; I was to say the least, equivalent to the color of a ripe beet. “Me too, I mean you too. You’re beautiful-er, is that a word? No of course it’s not, but you are beautiufler, not fuller. I don’t mean fuller,” I found my gaze drifting below her eyes, I quickly corrected that, “I just meant- you know what I’m going to shut up now, and pretend I have an important duty elsewhere.” I gave her a quick wave, “Bye Curious, I mean Bo. But bye to you to Curious, I-“ 

I ran.


	10. 10

You’re an idiot.   
The words tumbled around in my head, constantly repeating themselves. I didn’t know where I was going, but when I finally got there I knew why. 

I quietly crept into the house. Seeing everything the way it had been nine years ago. I was surprised that the house in my mind’s eye was startlingly similar to the current one. It was just emptier, that’s all. Charles had already moved out and lived with his wife, Will and I rarely ever spent time in the house, and that left Belle. Who, of course, kept everything scrubbed down and perfect. 

I walked past mother’s chair, and the fireplace that was never lit until I reached my parents room. I couldn’t think of it as my mother’s room, not when Father still lived and breathed in her dying eyes. I pushed open the door, and there was mother, in the same place I found her all those years ago, siting in Father’s rocker. Something had happened after he died. After the burning Ma’ had gone as if nothing was wrong, I hated her for it. I was dying inside, and here she was, pretending everything was fine, until she finally cracked. I had just gotten back from visiting grandma Violet, she was father’s mom and yet she had spoken with such a tenderness about mother. I spent most of my days there, sometimes even spending nights that I hadn’t noticed mother slipping. I was walking home one day when a man stopped me, he looked at my cloak thoughtfully, “Your Bren’s little girl, aint ye? What’s it?”

The man frightened me, and the last thing I wanted to do was tell him my name, “Red,” I blurted.

He gave me a questioning look.

“Red, my names Red.” 

That night when I had gotten home mother was waiting for me. “Who do you think you are?” she screamed, “First you take Bren’s wedding cloak, then you change your goddamn name.” That was the first time she had ever slapped me. I screamed and ran, not listing to Will’s shouting or Ma’s crying. It was too far to get to grandma’s house, so I had slept under the apple tree. When hunger finally enticed me enough to go home, mother was sitting in father’s rocker. When I opened the door, she hadn’t looked at me or said anything. Just sat, rocking back and forth. At first I thought I was avoiding her, then I convinced myself I was avoiding her, when in reality, she was oblivious to me. Belle spoon fed her twice a day, helped her go to the bath room and occasionaly bath, but besides that, she didn’t exist. 

“Ma’” I said quietly, “Ma’ its me Re- Clementine.” I knelt besides her, “She’s back Ma’.” She didn’t even pause in her rocking, but I took comfort in it, was happy she had the strength to move at all. “You remember Little Bo-Peep? She came back, I saw her today.” My eyes started to tear, “She’s so beautiful Ma’ and she still has Curious. I thought after all this time, but she really did come back. She’s back, she’s back.” By words rose in the air and entangled themselves with the creaks of the rocker, back and forth, back and forth, she’s back, she’s back. I felt my mother move her hand, just the slightest bit, but when I looked up her gaze was still trained on some distant horizon. Maybe I just imagined it.


	11. Part 2: Dandelions

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,  
And can't tell where to find them;  
Leave them alone, and they'll come home,  
Bringing their tails behind them.

 

Curious looked up at me, his liquid eyes questioning. “What?”

He bleated.

I threw a stick at him. He watched it fly over his head before landing a safe distance away. “I could have hit you,” I said, “If I wanted to.”

He yawned. 

I hadn’t meant to go to the apple tree, at first I was just trying to get away from those retched girls and their questions. After Red had left, they began bombarding me with: Who are you? How do you know Red? And are you really Little Bo-Peep. 

I hadn’t answered, just watched as Red walked off, her scent still sharp in my nose. That’s when I knew, I had walked a ways, turning the idea over in my head, how to do it, if I was really right, if it would really work.

I sat beneath the apple tree and was pleased to see I had a few answers, how to do it I still wasn’t sure, but I did know she was the one, and I did know it would really work, Papa had told me that much. And it all made sense, really, of course Red was the innocent. I had two proofs: One, her father had been the innocent. Two, I could smell it. After father died, I knew it was time to pass the curse on to someone else, also the blood moon was in three days. That was the only time it would work. Finding the innocent had been surprisingly easy, considering she had straddled me this afternoon. The memory made me warm all over. Curious bleated and nudged his head into my side. I grabbed him and buried my nose in his fleece. I could still smell her, she smelled of summer crisp and clear, and apples. It would be a pleasure taking her, I wanted to make her mine, have her everything. From those wide, innocent brown eyes to her soft red lips, her curving hips. Curious bit me, pulling me out of my fantasizing. “Stupid goat!” I dumped him off my lap and began pacing back and forth. First to the tree trunk, walk a few feet away, then back again. I was so turned on it hurt, I ran my fingers over my braid. Soon, I promised myself, soon she would be all mine, but I had to work fast. I only had three days.


End file.
